Dubai: Jockey Wayne Smith heaped praise on Jebel Ali Stakes (Listed) winner Treble Jig following the horse’s stunning victory at Jebel Ali Racecourse on Friday.
The son of Gone West made history by becoming the first horse to win the race twice when storming home an eight-and-a-half length winner ahead of Jutland.
Treble Jig won both the Jebel Ali Stakes and Jebel Ali Mile last season to initiate a historic sweep of all three Pattern races run at the course for his connections, which was capped by Russian Rock’s success in the Jebel Ali Sprint.
The five-year-old, who only came off the bridle two furlongs from home on Friday, is now four-for-four at the track and will bid to defend his title in next month’s Jebel Ali Mile.
Smith struggled to contain himself as he paid tribute to his stable star.
“He’s a true champion around here and it will take a very good horse to beat him in these conditions at Jebel Ali,” said the Irish-born rider.
“Today was just like an exercise gallop for him. He kills horses early with the pace he has and then, when he puts those lengths between them, he just makes it very hard for them.
“He’s grown up and matured over the summer. We’ll come back for the Mile, that’s the next target, and after that we’ll see. We’ll probably have to go to the Carnival or something like that.”
Treble Jig is trained by Emirati Mosabah Al Muhairi for owner Fat’hi Esaed Mohammad Egziama, who purchased him for £12,000 pounds [Dh 69,000] at the Doncaster Bloodstock Sales in August 2010.
Smith and Muhairi completed a double when Russian Rock won the concluding race over 1,000m, while Satish Seemar added another winner to his tally for the season when Al Razi landed the ServeU handicap over six furlongs.
Seemar was delighted with the result and said: “He just got beaten by a whisker at Meydan last time out so it’s nice for him to come back and win this.
“In a quieter way I was rooting for Seachantach as he had a three-kilo advantage. The horse has run in top company and he was at a perfect weight advantage. But unfortunately he missed the break, but even so he finished midfield. Hopefully he’ll have his day soon.”
Earlier in the afternoon, Ali Rashid Al Raihe’s Haatheq won the Jebel Ali Mile Prep from Al Muhairi’s Mujaazef.
